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Hot Rods Getting the bugs out -My T coupe build

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by goldmountain, Jul 4, 2018.

  1. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

  2. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    At this point, I began laying more layers to the underside of the bottom lip until it was about 3/8" thick and grinding it to get a better fit on the underside, finally putting duct tape on the lower panel and waxing the duct tape as a release agent and filling in the remaining gap with kitty hair. Now I am starting to become one of those guys that can sculpt an entire car out of bondo! After all this set up, I took a grinder to the topside and ground it down to where it was a more decent fit. By the time it started to look good, the wood edge of the bottom was totally exposed and the outer skin was getting pretty thin along the bottom edge. I reinforced the lower end of the trunk lid with fiberglass matt between the vertical ribs and took a die grinder to the wood strip on the top side so that I could fill it in with fiberglass matt on the top side. Still a lot of fine tuning to go on this thing, but it is looking like a workable trunk lid now after a bit more skinning it with kitty hair and block sanding. IMG_1403.JPG IMG_1404.JPG IMG_1405.JPG
     
  3. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    Just after my last posting here, I managed to dislocate my shoulder after falling off my bicycle. When I finally got my arm out of the sling, the corona virus hit. Now here I am stuck at home trying to get something done on the car but socially distancing and can't just go to the store and buy something. Trying to make a latch for the trunk lid. Managed to scrounge two junkyard latches but they didn't seem suitable due to the angle that the lid comes down at. Looked at the repro T latch that I was originally trying to use with the metal lid and thought that was sort of what I was after but with this new fiberglass lid, I didn't want a hole for the key. I had just finished replacing the door knob assembly on my garage door because I was having issues with the lock and it was cheaper to replace than to call for a locksmith. The latch mechanism was perfectly functional so I thought that I would give it a try. The old door knob rotated on a 1/4" square shaft so I found a spare 7/16", 1/4" drive socket and cut the 7/16" hex end off it to use as the square drive for the new release lever I was fabricating. Welded the left over 7/16" hex end to a piece of steel strap to make a little wrench - no sense throwing it away. Hooked my new release lever to a control cable under the driver's seat. Took off the 90 year old rubber bumpers for the trunk lid and replaced them with aftermarket leadsled door poppers I had lying around. IMG_1414.JPG IMG_1415.JPG
     
    brEad, chryslerfan55 and Greg Rogers like this.
  4. Greg Rogers
    Joined: Oct 11, 2016
    Posts: 802

    Greg Rogers
    Member

    I'm really impressed with your deck lid! Great job. Keep up the good work1
     
  5. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    The body has been removed from the rotisserie and the frame is on it now and for some time now, I have been slathering bondo onto both, sanding it down and sweeping it all up and throwing it away. IMG_1431.JPG IMG_1432.JPG
     
  6. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    I had mentioned on the "Who's building a T?" thread how I had found a really bad driver's door that had a door lock hole and that I grafted it onto my door. Most of you with cars made in about 1940 or earlier just had a door lock on the passenger side know that when you exit, that you lock the driver's door from the inside and go out on the passenger side away from the traffic. My doors didn't have any latches when I bought it but I managed to get a set from John and Bert ([email protected]) who have a lot of neat old parts which I repaired with a door latch spring kit but there was nothing there that I could find that would engage with a lock cylinder. Later, I found that Mac's and most of the Model T parts vendors now have repro door latches so I bought a pair. They do have the square drive for the door lock and it is on both the left and right sides. I was thrilled but my joy was short lived because my doors still would not lock. Since I presently have the door latches out because I am doing body work on the doors and being spurred on by PhilA"s door lock episode in his thread, it is time to look into this situation. The black latch is the old Ford piece. Notice that the spring steel piece I am pointing to does not exist on the new one. When the inside release is pushed forward, this holds the latch in the locked position. IMG_1437.JPG
     
  7. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    In the second picture, I am pointing to where there is a small tang bent over preventing the door release mechanism from moving forward and locking. Just in front of that you can see a spring that I think is part of the lock mechanism from examining the Ford part so it is obvious that whoever reproduced the part had fully intended on making it lock and that most of the necessary parts are inside but need to be tweeked a bit. The cup is half full mentality, folks. I am also assuming that since I did have an old door with a driver's side lock and the repro unit has a square drive for it, that I can make this work so that I can lock the passenger door from the inside and step out dangerously into traffic like everyone else in 2020. On the old Ford latch does have that small tang bent over on the passenger door so that you could not accidentally lock yourself out of the car. Hope this all works out. IMG_1438.JPG
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  8. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    In the last picture, I pointed to the small bent over tang on the repro unit. If you have these latches and no original ones, I suggest that you take them apart and hammer that flat on the driver's side latch so that you can push the inner latch release forward to lock that door; otherwise it will not lock. Here is a picture of the door lock hole added to my driver's door. I have never seen another like it so any information I give here about getting it to function only applies to me. IMG_1121.JPG
     
  9. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    I took the covers off both the old and new latches and since the old one has a spring clip that the new one doesn't have; I figured that I should probably use the older cover on the new latch. Only problem was that it has obviously been apart before since the bend over tabs mostly broke when I bent them back. A little bit of welding and they were useable. While it was apart, it was prudent to check if everything worked inside. Had to do a bit of grinding on this little widget where I am pointing to get it to clear the lock cylinder cam. Put it back together and everything works. Went to the other side and did the same thing and it is locked up. Back onto it tomorrow. IMG_1440.JPG
     
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  10. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    While we like to gripe about the quality of reproduction parts, I would applaud their efforts for without them, our cars would be very hard to finish. There has to be a very limited market for things like door latches for 90 plus year old cars. These aren't perfect but if you are capable of doing basic car repair, these work well enough.
     
  11. indyjps
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 5,377

    indyjps
    Member

    Great build. Awesome idea on the decklid.

    Im wondering if steel or alum frame with sheeting panel bonded to it with panel glue would make a difference on holding the form if someone was to replicate the process. I dont do much with wood.

    On your bottom and edge fit up, Id think clearance out the wood and build up with glass, and youre good to go.
     
  12. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    Onto the other side where I do the same modifcations and it doesn't lock. With it taken apart, it is easy to move the various pieces to the lock and unlock positions to see what is happening and the widget I was pointing to in the last picture doesn't get enough lift action to engage it to lock so it was necessary to build up the surface with weld and file it until things worked. Now I have two doors that I can lock from either side at last.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  13. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    Since I still had fiberglass sheet left over from the trunk lid, decided to make some window moldings for the doors. These are available in repro but gave it a try. IMG_1444.JPG
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  14. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    My wife always tells me not to buy cheap, but I always do Too impatient to save up enough for decent purchases which is partly to blame for getting into hot rods. Initial investment of $100 - $300 would get me going. Anyhow, latest cheap tool is TIG #2. Didn't learn from #1. From my cousins in China. Cost me $650 Cdn. Seen the same one elsewhere on ebay for $699 so of course, I went cheap. If I spent $699, I would have gotten a foot pedal so in the end ended up spending more and got the foot pedal. IMG_1434.JPG
     
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  15. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    Finally got around to trying out my new toy. Since I named this "Getting the bugs out", one of the bugs I noticed in going for a short spin is that my seats need more support since the mounting platform I made is bending from my weight. Too fat. So far, I like it! I am starting to lose my fear of TIG. This is way better than my first one that I purchased in China. Not quite the stack of dimes yet but OK for a first go. IMG_1445.JPG
     
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  16. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    When I got the welder set up for the first time, I mounted it on my homemade welding cart under my MIG, but it wouldn't fit with the carrying handle on the top. I took the cover off to remove the handle and discovered that the internal argon line had a kink in it because it was too close to the support structure and I had to drill a new hole in the case to reroute the line a bit. Plugged it in, hit the switch on the torch and got nothing other than the fan running. The torch had a 7 pin connector plug and I figured that since the torch on cheap tig #1 had a 2 pin connector, that the new one probably only needed two wires also. By testing with my multimeter, I discovered that the switch on the torch was bad so I soldered one of my other tig torches into the 7 pin connector and it sprung to life. Put it away until the foot pedal arrived. The new one is AC/DC so I will be able to weld aluminum and it doesn't leave a crater when I stop like the old one did.
    I have noticed that not very many people look at this thread because no one knows it exists, but that is OK since I don't post much information at a time. By the time anyone notices, there might be enough stuff to read. Presently, I am blocking my body filler and have just purchased a larger paint gun nozzle that should be able to pass primer through. I have great fear of painting from reading Blue One's painting experience of upgrading his turbine system, his homemade spray booth, and his upgraded spray guns. Trying to do this on the cheap. Notice a theme going there? See if I can stick with the 2 stage turbine and bleeder spray gun.
     
  17. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    While I am more or less on the bodywork stage, switched over to back onto the top wood since I have to address it sooner or later. The wood kit was well made but it did not fit well due to the top chop. The top on a T coupe is wider at the top than the bottom so I had to remove vertical strips along side the rear window which made the top narrower. I cut the wood behind the B pillar, lapped it together to bring it in line. IMG_1450.JPG
     
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  18. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    The wood header above the windshield had a gap between it and the wood along the side. If I kept on tightening the screws to pull it into place, either the screw hole will strip out or the wood would crack so I filled the gap with tiger hair. From there, I did more wood fitting with an angle grinder and a sanding block with 40 grit. IMG_1451.JPG IMG_1452.JPG IMG_1453.JPG
     
    brEad, chryslerfan55 and Tim_with_a_T like this.
  19. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    It is getting late in August now and It is time to switch over to the dreaded paint the frame stage. I have a Lemmer 2 stage HVLP turbine paint sprayer that I hope to use. There is an old thread here called "hvlp turbine paint systems" so I bought this unit in the local classified ads for $100. The large paint nozzle I just bought to spray high build primer cost more than that. The plan is to get the frame painted while it is on the rotisserie, assemble it with the suspension, brake lines, and driveline so that I can roll it into the other garage. That should free up a lot of space here. Then, I can concentrate on the body and interior pieces. Finally selected the paint - a single stage Kubota tractor orange. I pushed the frame outside onto the driveway to do the painting and after started painting, it began to lightly rain. Not enough to do much harm, however. All the advice I found on painting on the internet was quickly forgotten and I ended up with my share of runs. Selecting gray epoxy primer wasn't that great an idea. Hard to see where the primer ends and the blasted steel frame begins. Maybe i should have gone with black. I also primed the firewall, the panel under the trunk lid and the bottom of the floor in the back because when I put the body back onto the rotisserie, these areas are hard to get at. IMG_1457.JPG IMG_1458.JPG IMG_1459.JPG
     
  20. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    Well that didn't turn out that well. Ended up with dry spray all over the place. That was with the supplied 1.4mm spray nozzle so yesterday I took the gun apart and swapped in the 2.0mm nozzle to spray the high build primer surfacer and it was even worse. The 2 stage turbine just doesn't have the power to do this. After struggling with trying to get a spray pattern larger than 3" with the gun only 1" away, I gave up. Since the paint has hardener added, I took out a cheap dollar store paint brush and brushed the remainder of the paint - I have to sand it smooth anyhow. Maybe I will have to borrow a regular spray gun to be used with my air compressor to continue.
     
  21. loudbang likes this.
  22. Blue One
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 11,459

    Blue One
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Alberta

    You found out what I did, the 2 stages aren’t enough.
    Even 3 stages was barely adequate for the epoxy primer with a 1.8 tip.

    Once I ordered the 6 stage turbine motor and got that going the 1.8 was really nice for epoxy primer and then the High build too.

    The 1.3 tip was really good for the single stage acrylic urethane .
     
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  23. AndersF
    Joined: Feb 16, 2013
    Posts: 884

    AndersF
    Member

    I dont know how it could happen but you got this thread going in 2 year and i totally missed it.
    Have ben curios about your build since you strarted to comment on my and then it was here all the time.
    It looks really good. I like the chop and stance.
    I see you got the same basic idea to do the roof as i have thinking of on my.
     
    brEad likes this.
  24. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    It was hiding in plain sight, Anders. Finally updated the title to include "my T coupe build".
     
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  25. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    Ended up borrowing a gravity feed HVLP primer gun. Even with my wimpy compressor, it sprays better. Got the frame done in orange yesterday and trying to decide what to do next. Do I bother sanding and buffing the frame or not? It would look better but I risk sanding through to the primer and I don't have a buffer anyway. Then there is the problems associated with reassembling the chassis. Before, I could place jackstands under the frame rails, but if I do that now, I risk damaging the bondo I have under there. Maybe I'll borrow my neighbor's ramps - I tend IMG_1460.JPG IMG_1461.JPG to use them more than he does anyhow.
     
  26. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    I had a few runs so I risked sanding them and of course, I managed to sand through to the primer. Seemed sensible to do it while it was still on the rotisserie than down at ground level later. Got to the point where I didn't have runs but did have orange peel. Well it is orange, right? Good enough since I would like to drive this sometime within my lifetime. Yesterday, I started putting the brake lines back and it is good that I posted pictures of the car when it was coming apart since I really don't remember what went where. Today, I began to remount the axle assemblies and I really like how the Kubota tractor orange looks against the dark silver powder coat on the axles. Looking forward to when I have the chassis fully assembled and moved to the front garage so that I have more room to work in when painting the body. IMG_1462.JPG
     

    Attached Files:

  27. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    I hate painting - mainly because I don't know what I'm doing. There is the epoxy primer, high build primer, hardeners and mixing ratios to mess with. Trying to get all the little pieces painted so that I can get the chassis moved and of course, I manage to forget one piece to get into primer. I am so thankful for the internet. Surfing the net looking up "Kubota Orange", and discover that those Kubota tractor guys have a bit of a solution. I go to my local Home Hardware store and pick up rattle cans of the stuff. I know that this not the fancy expensive paint that I'm using for the body and frame but just cheap alkyd enamel, but for the little pieces that I'm bound to forget and need to paint over the winter, it will do. There is a thread praising the virtues of Washington Blue, but I'm definitely a fan of Kubota Orange. It is a bright hot rod color that is readily available in a rattle can; they had it on the shelf. I might actually finish this car in my lifetime!
     
    AndersF likes this.
  28. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    Getting more pieces back together. Today, I got my nephew to help me reinstall the engine and transmission. Slid it into place but when I tried to get the nuts onto the transmission mount, they wouldn't go on. When I took the car apart, I had a terrible time getting the transmission crossmember out because the frame had flexed inboard a bit since I built it. To correct this, I cut the center piece out of the transmission crossmember with two cuts on the chop saw to narrow it 1/4 inch. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing and welded it in upside down. Well at least I know what I'm doing tomorrow. IMG_1464.JPG IMG_1465.JPG IMG_1466.JPG
     
    Just Gary, ss34coupe and AndersF like this.
  29. AndersF
    Joined: Feb 16, 2013
    Posts: 884

    AndersF
    Member

    Sometimes we tend to make sure that we have something to do.
     
  30. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    The chassis is mostly together now. Now I have to enlist some volunteers to help me push it to the front garage. Unfortunately due to how the neighborhood is set up, I need to push it half way around the block. IMG_1468.JPG IMG_1469.JPG IMG_1470.JPG
     

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